Barnaclebeak
Barnaclebeaks, occasionally referred colloquially as "Tinikoho Stowaways", are a species of scurrying Remorabeaks found inhabiting the area around Tinikoho Moor, a port hub on the planet Ilongoqungo. They are very closely related to the Feathered Remorabeaks found throughout much of the rest of the area. The Barnaclebeaks are considered to be pests throughout Gek controlled space, due to their relatively confined habitat but large numbers, many times leading to them inadvertently clambering aboard various starships that land at the Tinikoho Moor port, only to accidentally take them with them when they leave. Physiology Barnaclebeaks are rotund, beaked creatures and are surprisingly hefty for their size, weighing around 61lb 5.6oz (27.83kg) at maturity, while measuring about 1'10" (0.57m) tall at the shoulder. They are about 2'6" (0.76m) long and possess a short tail. A set of three pheromone-producing nodules known as lomps extend from their heads at varying lengths and are used for social behaviors. They have small, golden-hued eyes that are still of excellent use as they are needed for foraging. The skin of the Barnaclebeak is smooth and yellowish-green, with green osteoderms covering the tops of their head and neck, shoulders and upper legs, formerly used as protection against some predation. Now these serve little purpose other than as anchors for their symbiotes, the Tinikoho Barnacle. These formerly were only found in deep, wet caves in the moor but when the Tinikoho Remorabeaks moved in, a symbiosis was formed; now the barnacles get moved around to better their nutrient intake efficiency while the Barnaclebeaks get a stronger armor to protect them against sapient foes. Barnaclebeaks are also a host to external parasites, but taking them out of their environment for a few months is good enough to let their system clean out the parasites; quarantine would work well for these creatures in the domestic market were they more popular. In the wild, their lifespan is rarely over 5-7 years despite the lack of predators. This appears to be due to a lysine deficiency that is rampant in their species. It is believed their ancestors relied heavily on their codependency with the Kidneyheads to supply them with lysine. In captivity they can be supplemented this substance and can naturally live to 35 years old in this state. Some fanciers choose to genetically tamper with their pets to extend their lifespan, though this is considered taboo with much of the Gek society, as is domesticating one in the first place. Behavior Barnaclebeaks spend significant amounts of their lives underground in massive, sometimes interconnecting den-burrows that permeate the land underneath Tinikoho Moor. In these dens they are highly social, but while feeding they disperse through the underbrush and generally work on their own. Each Barnaclebeak is expected to feed itself and only parents will return to the den with vegetation for their young. Although the exact entrance to these dens are hard to find, it is widely believed that all known caves in Tinikoho lead to a burrow. Being small herbivores, they feed upon smaller vegetation in the area. They will ignore completely trees, but commonly feed upon Emmatea lubaligosa, Euntae lumbrocia, Netareum rebonaldium, Platinum Berries, Somari Stems, and Zinc Hibiscus. Eating too many Platinum Berries, Somari Stems, or Zinc Hibiscus will kill a Barnaclebeak, but they require some of each in their diet to provide necessary elements. They are not intelligent to realize this and will just opportunistically feed on any plants that they consider meals, leading to occasional overdosing. While they do not eat it, they have been seen sharpening their beaks on Cave Coral. They are social creatures, and use tapping of their beaks, squawks, and pheromones to get their point across to others of their kind. Pheromones are important to them, and are exuded by their lomps. Should a Barnaclebeak lose its lomps, it can still communicate somewhat with others but becomes little more than an outsider to the rest of the den. The size of the lomp indicates its purpose and usefulness among the den members, as well: The shortest lomp is at the back of the head near the base of the neck, and its pheromones are its most intimate. This is due to how close another Barnaclebeak must be to it to detect the pheromones, and typically these will be its mate and offspring. The middle lomp is for most other emotional communication among its den mates. However, the largest of the lomps is also perhaps its most important - it is used to warn the others of danger. This pheromone is detected by their barnacles, as well, which will close themselves up in their shells to protect themselves and by extension better serve as armor for their host. Although they will attempt to flee when threatened, they will strike out with their sharpened beaks when cornered, inflicting serious bites. Barnaclebeaks breed indiscriminately throughout the year with varying levels of success depending upon the season and local environmental conditions. They lay their eggs in the corners of their den-burrows, and each clutch will consist of 2-4 eggs. On extremely rare occasions, a Barnaclebeak female may lay as many as 6 eggs at a time, but unless the conditions have been right for this level of exertion, laying so many eggs will usually greatly weaken and possibly kill her. The young barely resemble their parents when first born, being little more than a limbless, eyeless fetus with elongated lomps to better communicate its needs to its parents; they do however possess a sharp beak already, which they use as a makeshift egg tooth. Baby Barnaclebeaks are weaned after 3 or 4 weeks. By this time they usually have already become hosts to their own set of barnacles. Background history Barnaclebeaks, like their cousins, are primarily adapted to follow larger beasts for protection against their predators. In the Barnaclebeak's case, this was the now-extinct Kidneyhead Kingbrowse, which was exterminated by the pressures of their natural predators as well as early colonists. With the Kidneyheads deceased, predator attacks became harder to deal with by the colonists as the predators became desperate enough to hunt sapient lifeforms. To this end, the Geks exterminated the predators, and followed up by eradicating all known predators on the planet as they expanded across the globe and set up important backwater trade routes. With nothing to feed upon the Barnaclebeaks, they went unchecked and began breeding out of control. Over the next several centuries, Barnaclebeak extermination sweeps were instigated in the Tinikoho area. As the numbers of Barnaclebeaks dwindled, they spent more and more time in local plutonium caverns. Adaptation never ceases, and soon the majority of their kind remained hiding while small numbers went out to feed at any given time, scurrying through the underbrush. For the most part, few explorers or colonists realize the great numbers there are existing just below the planet's surface in massive den-burrows. Control Baraclebeaks are a "controlled pest" throughout Gek space, and are thus classed as "prohibited new organisms". This means that they are illegal to import to other planets due to their quick infestation capabilities. Category:Somarinoa's Content Category:No Man's Sky Fanon Category:Species Category:Extraterrestrials Category:Non-Sapient Species Category:Herbivores Category:Galactic Pests Category:Domesticated Species